Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to herbal mixtures used in the treatment of medical maladies. More specifically, the present invention relates to herbal mixtures and extractions comprising Crocus sativus used to treat medical maladies.
Prior Art
A variety of herbal and plant extracts and preparations are available today for treating a variety of medical maladies affecting the mammalian body. Some preparations have been known for literally thousands of years while others are just being scientifically discovered to have curative effects. Effective plant extracts are highly desired as a “natural” way to treat medical maladies. It is believed that “natural” preparations will minimize potential adverse effects as compared to synthetic preparations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,895 to Grossman et al., is directed to the use of water-soluble plant extracts for the treatment of virus skin infections. U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,865 to Ho et al., is directed to the use of Chinese herbal extracts for the treatment of HIV related disease. Ho discloses a total of 56 herbal extracts that were screened for anti-HIV activity using various in vitro techniques.
In particular, the medicinal properties of saffron (Crocus sativus) have been generally known as the herb has been used for many years in traditional medicine. Today, Crocus sativus is being scientifically investigated for its many medicinal benefits. The pistil of the crocus flower is composed of a stigma, a style, and an ovary. The stigma has a bright red color and contains many useful components including medicinal constituents, flavoring compounds and pigments. These useful components have been conventionally harvested from the pistils of open crocus flowers. Both the stigma and the petals of the crocus flowers are believed to possess medicinal properties. For example, both the saffron stigma and petals are said to be helpful for depression.
Saffron (Crocus sativus) has been the subject of numerous clinical investigations, examples of which are disclosed in articles by M. Agha-Hosseini et al., BJOG 2008, 115, p. 515-519; Su Hee Jang et al., Complimentary and Alternative Medicine 2014,14:11, p. 1-13; Vijaya Bhargava K, International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharaceutical Sciences 2011, vol. 3, suppl. 3, p. 22-26; F. I. Abdullaev et al., Cancer Detection and Prevention 2004, vol. 28, p. 426-432; and R. Srivastava et al., Pharmacogn Rev. 2010, Jul.-Dec., 4(8), p. 200-208, all of which are incorporated by reference herein. These investigations and others have identified the herb to comprise medicinal benefits for numerous medical ailments. Among these scientific studies, Crocus sativus has been identified as a sedative, a stimulant, in particular, a central nervous system stimulant, an antispasmodic, and a diaphoretic. Saffron, crocins and crocetin have been shown to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation. It is used for the improvement of digestion and appetite and has been found to be extremely beneficial for providing relief from gas and acidity related problems. Saffron is also used for treating cough and is a known therapeutic for insomnia.
Saffron is also regularly used to treat many skin problems, for example, dry skin, and is used to lighten skin tone. Crocus sativus is used for the treatment of kidney, bladder and liver disorders. It is also believed that saffron helps to improve circulation of the organs of digestion. Saffron is considered by many to be a blood purifier and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties as well as help increase the oxygen content of blood, thus aiding in the overall health and well-being of a person. In addition, Crocus sativus has been used to treat asthma and atherosclerosis.
In addition, saffron has been used to help relieve inflammation associated with arthritis and also with providing relief from joint pain. It also has been shown to provide relief from lower back pain. Massaging the gums with saffron may help reduce soreness and inflammation of the mouth and the tongue.
Saffron has also been found to be effective in relieving symptoms of pre-menstrual symptoms (PMS). Saffron is even recommended for use during pregnancy as the herb is used to elevate body temperature. In addition, saffron is thought to be an antioxidant and have anti-cancerous and anti-tumor properties. It also may have a protective effect on the heart.
Prior art examples that demonstrate some of the medicinal uses of saffron can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,756 to Rosenstiel which discloses the use of pure powdered saffron to increase blood flow, to relieve pain and minimize skin dryness. U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2003/0086981 to Seiki et al., discloses an ingestible saffron pill composed of a glycerin fatty acid ester that is used in the treatment of pre-menstrual symptoms (PMS). U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2005/0158411 to Vail et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 7,344,740 discloses inhalation of a combination of peppermint oil complemented by saffron and other herbs that may be used to treat nausea induced by cancer chemotherapy treatment. U.S. Pat. No. 8,569,247 to Eidenberger, discloses embodiments of compositions derived from saffron and gardenia for medicinal treatments.
However, the prior art does not disclose saffron containing medicinal therapeutic mixtures that are designed to be vaporized or nebulized and, thus, provide treatment of these various medical ailments, such as pre-menstrual symptoms (PMS), through inhalation of a saffron comprising therapeutic aerosol. There exists, therefore, a need for a medicinal extract or therapeutic mixture comprising Crocus sativus to relieve medical ailments that is designed to be delivered through various inhalation methods. In addition, there exists a need for a medicinal extract or therapeutic mixture thereof comprising Crocus sativus that is designed to be vaporized or nebulized using various apparatus and inhalation methods.
Vaporization offers a means to extract and concentrate therapeutic agents, such as those separated from a naturally occurring plant, through a pure aerosol vapor mist. In an embodiment of the present invention, vaporization of plants, herbs, their extracts, and combinations thereof, is provided. In one such embodiment, the vaporization of Crocus sativus is provided. In the embodiment, the vaporization method utilizes different solvents and temperatures to modify and/or concentrate the therapeutic substance, for example, but not limited to, the saffron stigma, the saffron petals, dried saffron threads and powders. “Saffron threads” are generally known to be dried stigmas of the saffron plant.
An alternate delivery method is to inhale smoke resulting from the burning of a plant, herb or combination thereof. However, the burning process may create potentially toxic materials or compounds such as tars, which are generally not desirable. Hence, inhalation of vaporized saffron is preferred. Furthermore, the vaporizing process may be used to concentrate the therapeutic delivery agent. The separated agent from the naturally occurring plant may be also be otherwise concentrated using traditional processes such as, but not limited to, distillation. The concentrated end product may further be embodied in a delivery media or complemented by other therapeutic agents to enhance delivery and efficacy of therapy.
In the present application, embodiments and methods of preparing various medicinal compounds comprising Crocus sativus, infusions, extracts, and combinations thereof are provided. In addition, various means of vaporizing these medicinal extracts, infusions and compounds are provided. One such method of vaporizing and delivering a therapeutic compound to a patient is through the use of a nebulizer or inhaler.
Nebulizers and inhalers deliver a mist of the extraction or infusion of the therapeutic agent separated from a naturally occurring saffron plant, such as Crocus sativus. Nebulizers and inhalers are typically small devices that are used to administer various aerosol media through a traditional mouthpiece. Nebulizers generally operate by converting a therapeutic liquid medium into aerosol droplets that are inhaled by a user to provide therapy. Nebulizers typically use a gas, such as oxygen, or compressed air to “break up” a therapeutic solution or suspension into aerosol droplets that can be directly inhaled through a mouthpiece of the device. In addition, an ultrasonic transducer may also be provided that aids in the creation of the aerosol droplets. The term “aerosol” is defined herein as a mixture of gas and liquid particles. An example of an aerosol is mist, a mixture of vaporized water particles that are mixed with hot ambient air that cools down and condenses into a cloud of visible airborne water droplets.
There are generally two types of nebulizers, a jet nebulizer and an ultrasonic wave nebulizer. Both types of nebulizers are designed to administer a therapeutic medium to an individual via inhalation through a mouthpiece or a mask. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that extended options for the final product achieved for vaporization also apply to nebulization.
A jet nebulizer or atomizer generally utilizes a compressor that causes a compressed gas, such as air or oxygen to flow at high velocity through a therapeutic liquid to convert the liquid into an aerosol. This aerosol is then inhaled by a patient. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer utilizes an electronic oscillator that generates a high frequency ultrasonic wave that causes the mechanical vibration of a piezoelectric element within the transducer. The transducer with it vibrating element is generally positioned within the therapeutic medium. The high frequency of the vibrating oscillator is generally sufficient to produce a vapor mist that is then inhaled.
In addition to a nebulizer, an inhaler may also be used to deliver the therapeutic medium to a patient. An inhaler typically comprises a sealed container having a release valve that is generally filled with a therapeutic medium such as a solvent or liquid extract. The therapeutic medium is typically housed under pressure within the container such that when the release valve is actuated, pressure from within the container causes the therapeutic medium to exit the container at a high velocity. A propellant may also be contained therewithin to aid in the expulsion of the therapeutic medium from the container. The propellant mixes with the therapeutic medium inside the container such that when the contents therewithin are released by the valve, an aerosol mixture of the therapeutic medium and propellant is expelled at a high velocity in an aerosol form. The container is received within an inhaler housing that comprises an activation mechanism capable of activating the release of the contents. The inhaler housing generally comprises a mouthpiece that directs the aerosol mixture into a patient. These and other embodiments will be disclosed in the specification and drawings of the present application.